YSGOL BRO DINEFWR, the £30-million comprehensive school built on fields outside Ffairfach, replacing both Pantycelyn in Llandovery and Tregib on the other side of Ffairfach, is super-insulated and super-quiet, decorated in white and tranquil pastels, with many double-height spaces giving the interior an airy, open feel.
A tour of the Bouygues-constructed school, funded by Carmarthenshire County Council and the Welsh Government, was one of the highlights of Tuesday’s (Oct 4) official opening, which also promoted students’ musical excellence. National Eisteddfod winner Owain Rowlands gave a superb singing performance, the instrumental trio of Cerys Bowen, Ellie Davies and Rhydian Tiddy played ‘Valse Russe’, harpists Bethan Evans, Millie Bateman, and twins Cadi and Mari James entertained before the unveiling, by Council Leader Emlyn Dole, of a commemorative plaque, and a choir of girls in Years 8, 9 and 10 gave two polished performances of ‘Ar Lwybrau Gwynt’.
Shortly before the opening ceremonies were due to start at 9.30am, an unexpected fire bell triggered mass evacuation of the school, but it was a false alarm and did not delay proceedings.
Head Girl Hannah Doel and Head Boy Henry Amery gave the first two speeches, and Council Leader Emlyn Dole followed, saying that people across Wales would be envious of the new buildings. He also pointed out that buildings alone are not enough – that interaction between teachers and pupils sparks learning.
Gareth Jones, the council’s Executive Board Member in charge of Education, put the £30 million cost in the context of the council’s £240 million spending, so far, on its ‘Modernising Education’ programme. “This is the fifth opening I have been to so far this year,” said Mr Jones. Continuing the financial theme, Chair of Governors David Dyer commented that sufficient funds were vital if pupils’ educational dreams were to be realised.
Headteacher Julie Griffiths praised the council for providing ‘this wonderful campus’, into which pupils and staff had quickly settled and the Rev. Michael Sadler, Vicar of Llandeilo, blessed the school.
Touring the campus revealed a spacious gym and even larger sports hall, a food technology suite with excellent cooking appliances, wide corridors, roomy classrooms, and a library with a splendid array of computers but relatively few books, a response to the modern online world but also to strained budgets.
The energy saving aspects of the school are among its most remarkable attributes. The roofs hold 700 square metres of photovoltaic panels, there are three 30kW air-source heat pumps, and a 20,000-litre rainwater harvesting system.
Transport to and from the school, much by bus and car, lacks the ecological credentials of the school buildings, but the campus provides an example of responsible resource use which could have a wide influence.
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